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Today, immersed in the solitude imposed by rest, I discovered the regenerating power of the sea, the wind, and introspection. The sea spoke to me in silence, cradling my thoughts like gentle waves. The wind caressed my face, as if wanting to tousle my doubts and lift my desires. And introspection… that gentle voice I often ignore, today became clear, present, essential.

I truly listened to myself. And I felt alive, even in the stillest moment. This space of calm revealed a subtle strength—the kind that is born not when we escape, but when we begin to feel.

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“I walked, I listened, I breathed. I challenged myself again, accompanied by the quiet song of invisible creatures and the gentle strength of trees that have weathered storms and witnessed rebirths. And it was there that mine began.”

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Monday, 21 July 2025

I’ve read in Rita’s book that a human without trees, without greenery, loses all the benefits that greenery brings to our health. I love trees, bushes, and flowers, which is why you can find all these around my house. The difference between the greenery here in Guadeloupe and back home is that there is no shortage of rainfall here, while it rarely rains in my hometown. However, we do not feel this lack of rain, so my flowers, trees, and shrubs are always as they should be. I find great pleasure in observing my plants growing their first leaves, and when the first cones fall from my conifers. That’s when I know they have good conditions for growth.

Another thing I learnt from Rita’s book is that the forests in South Korea offer everything from prenatal classes to forest kindergartens and burial services. There are places where people can live, work, and play, from the cradle to the grave. And it is true! I have been to South Korea twice already and witnessed this — a green welfare state, where forests bring happiness to everyone.

There is no shortage of greenery in Slovenia either. My country is a country of forests, offering shelter to 950 plant species and 71 tree species (10 conifers and 61 deciduous trees). The forest that we saw today did not surprise me. Maybe I was fascinated only by some tropical plants that we cannot find in Slovenia.

Our day ended with a visit to the local ZOO. That is when I spotted it: Rilke’s panther — sad, reserved. To finish it off: Rainer Maria Rilke, The Panther.

His vision, from the constantly passing bars,

has grown so weary that it cannot hold

anything else. It seems to him there are

a thousand bars; and behind the bars, no world.

As he paces in cramped circles, over and over,

the movement of his powerful soft strides

is like a ritual dance around a center

in which a mighty will stands paralyzed.

Only at times, the curtain of the pupils

lifts, quietly--. An image enters in,

rushes down through the tensed, arrested muscles,

plunges into the heart and is gone.

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We danced with nature today, bathed under the waterfall's embrace, and wove our thoughts into mandalas. Each moment, a stroke of artistry on the canvas of life.

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Today I reminded myself how important self care is. Sometimes we feel overwhelmed by deadlines, too much workload and other pressures. To escape from the state of anxiety and calm racing thoughts, simply go to the forest, take deep breaths, listen to its sounds. Like we did today.

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Creating the mandala made me forget about the whole world. I forgot about the things surrounding me and everything else faded away. The threads connecting me to reality loosened and I felt completely free without all electronic devices surrounding me.

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Today I realized that water is the most important element of nature for me. The feeling of a cool stream flowing around my body made me forget about the whole world. It brought a deep sense of peace and connection. In that moment, nothing else mattered.

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Another day in paradise, the murmur of the river and waterfall, the croaking of frogs and the light sound of rain, and the leaf that was my inspiration for drawing the mandala. That's me too. Why not?

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I was especially looking forward to today, as I generally really enjoy being in the forest. I’ve learned that I feel more connected to nature when I’m on my own and can go at my own pace – whether I’m standing still or on the move. The scheduled breaks made it difficult for me to fully immerse myself in the surroundings. Nevertheless, I found the rainforest and the environment very impressive.

Painting the mandala was an interesting experience and showed me how little artistic talent I have.

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I noticed that I could only truly enjoy and connect with the forest once everyone stopped talking. The silence made it possible to really hear the natural sounds around us and feel part of the environment. Without the quiet, it would have been hard to fully experience the atmosphere of the forest.

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Today I have learned that nature is a constant state of moving. There are many more things in the Rain forest, than you would notice at first. Also it is very relaxing beeing in the forest.

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Today I felt like a guest - in the forest, by the waterfall, by the river. They were kind to me and showed me all their beauty, which I had not seen before. It was nice to walk in silence and reconnect with nature. Today I learned a new term - forest bathing.

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The trip to the rainforest made me realize how huge nature is, and how small and fragile a human being truly is. It was a humbling and eye-opening experience.

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Walking in an old forest is always humbling. It's grand and timeless. In the contrast are humans, small and temporary. But even a very small and temporary ant has its place in the forest. The forest wouldn't be the same without it. For the humans, it's not always clear what place they have in the forest. Are they creators or destroyers?

That's why it's good to connect again with nature as a human being.